THE Pharmacy Board of Australia and the Medical Board of Australia have issued a joint statement to remind doctors and pharmacists that compounded medicines must only be prescribed and dispensed if a commercial item does not meet the patient's needs.
The statement follows an update from Pharmaceutical Defence Limited which said the evolution of compounding in Australia represented "a particularly high regulatory concern at the present time" (PD 08 Nov 2017), with recent cases alleging unprofessional conduct by pharmacists compounding products similar to commercially available items.
The respective Boards noted that unlike medicines on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, compounded medicines are not subject to the same rigorous assessment for product efficacy, quality and safety by the TGA.
"Additional considerations are therefore required to ensure patient safety," the statement said.
Pharmacy Board chair William Kelly said effective communication between medical practitioners and pharmacists was critical.
"If a pharmacist believes that it is not safe or appropriate to compound a prescribed medicine, they must let the prescriber and patient know so alternative treatment options can be considered," he said.
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